Washington [US], November 21: AP news agency reported on November 21 that a US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop the deployment of the National Guard in Washington DC, which has been going on for months.
In a November 20 ruling, Judge Jia Cobb concluded that the National Guard's takeover of Washington, DC, illegally infringed on the authority of local officials to direct law enforcement.
Judge Cobb suspended the ban for 21 days to allow the government time to appeal. The judge said President Trump has the right to protect federal property, but cannot unilaterally deploy the National Guard in the capital to help control crime, nor can he mobilize forces from other states.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who asked the judge to bar the White House from deploying the National Guard without the mayor's consent.
The White House has defended its deployment of the Guard. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: "President Trump has the legal authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington, DC, to protect federal property and support law enforcement. This lawsuit is just another attempt to undermine the efforts to prevent violent crime that are already having success."
In August, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency regarding crime in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has mobilized more than 2,300 National Guard troops from various states to assist in patrolling. Law enforcement has also been increased in the US capital in recent months.
The White House has also deployed Guardsmen to several major cities in other states, citing rising crime, but some deployments have been blocked by judges. In Washington, DC, Mr. Trump has more authority to manage the force.
Government lawyers said Congress had given the president the authority to control National Guard operations in the capital. "There is no justifiable reason to issue a revocation order now, especially when the complaints are without merit," the Justice Department lawyer stressed.
Source: Thanh Nieu Newspaper
